According to study, regular physical activity might aid adolescents with behavioral issues and their mental health.
According to the study, regular moderate to intense physical activity between the ages of 11 and 13 was linked to greater mental health.
Physical exercise was also linked to a decrease in young people’s hyperactivity and behavioral issues like losing their temper, fighting with other kids, lying, and stealing.
Data from the Children of the 1990s project was examined by researchers from the Universities of Edinburgh, Strathclyde, Bristol, and Georgia in the United States (also known as the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children; ALSPAC). They examined the physical activity levels of 4755 11-year-olds, which were measured using equipment.The devices measured levels of strenuous activity, which increases heart rate and breathing, such as aerobic dance, jogging, or swimming, as well as moderate physical activity, which is commonly characterized as brisk walking or cycling.
From the ages of 11 and 13, the children and their parents provided information on the severity of their depressive symptoms. The parents and teachers of the participants were also questioned about the children’s general behavior and emotional issues.
The researchers examined the effects of moderate to strenuous exercise on the young people’s behavior and mental health while also taking into account their age, sex, and socioeconomic position.They found that higher levels of moderate or intense physical activity had a small but detectable association with decreases in depressive symptoms and emotional difficulties.
Regular exercise had a small but detectable association with reduced behavioral problems, even after controlling for other possible influences, the study found.
The findings suggest regular moderate and intense physical activity may have a small protective influence on mental health in early adolescence, researchers say.Researchers say the study is the first to offer such a comprehensive approach to examining mental health and exercise in young people.
Professor John Reilly, at the University of Strathclyde, said: “While it might seem obvious that physical activity improves mental health the evidence for such a benefit in children and young people has been scarce, so the study findings are important. The findings are also important because levels of moderate-to-vigorous intensity activity globally are so low in pre-teens globally – less than a third achieve the 60 minutes per day recommended by the WHO and UK Health Departments.”
